Operations Manager (Kansas City)
17 hours ago
Kansas City
Operations Manager Kansas City, MO | Fully Onsite Full-Time | Direct Hire| up to $120,000 annually LHH Recruitment Solutions is partnering with a leading Manufacturing company, specifically in Automotive, that is seeking to bring on an operations Manager. The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing day-to-day plant operations, with a strong focus on shop floor leadership, production scheduling, inventory control, safety, and workforce stability. This role plays a critical part in ensuring consistent operations, supporting continuous improvement, and maintaining dependable customer delivery in a manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who thrives on the production floor, can effectively manage hourly teams and supervisors, and brings structure, accountability, and energy to plant operations. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: • Lead and manage daily production activities across multiple shifts to ensure safety, quality, and on-time delivery, • Oversee production scheduling, labor allocation, and workflow optimization on the shop floor, • Serve as a visible, hands-on leader to supervisors and hourly employees, driving accountability and engagement, • Support inventory management efforts, ensuring appropriate inventory levels to prevent production or customer disruption, • Partner closely with maintenance to address equipment issues and coordinate preventative and corrective maintenance activities, • Enforce safety standards, policies, and procedures; proactively address safety concerns and incidents, • Coach, develop, and motivate supervisors and team members, with a focus on reducing early-tenure turnover and building workforce stability, • Handle employee relations matters, including conflict resolution, attendance, and performance management, • Collaborate with plant leadership and cross‑functional partners to support operational goals and continuous improvement initiatives, • Utilize existing systems and tools to track production, inventory, maintenance, and labor data, • Participate in regular operational review meetings and provide clear updates on plant performance and challenges QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering or business management (Required), • At least 8+ years of proven experience managing manufacturing or production operations at the shop-floor level, • At least 7+ years of previous experience within the manufacturing industry- preferably within steel and/or automotive, • Strong people leadership skills with the ability to supervise, coach, and hold teams accountable, • Experience with production scheduling, labor planning, and day-to-day operational execution, • Solid understanding of safety practices in a manufacturing environment, • Ability to manage through change and lead in a fast-paced, hands-on setting, • Strong communication skills and comfort working directly with hourly staff and supervisors, • Familiarity with inventory management and production planning concepts (e.g., MRP-supported environments), • Exposure to multi-shift operations, • Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with maintenance, quality, and leadership teams